To the Depths of Darkness
by Lord Valentai
Summary: My take on "The Hordes of the Underdark", starting in Waterdeep. Features many new characters.
1. Waterdeep I

I do not own the game Neverwinter Nights, nor do I own the Expansion Pack Hordes of the Underdark or anything seen within. They belong to their respective owners.

I do however have rights to anything new and not seen before, the main character and so on.

This is a rather different version of the story, more as a sort of 'back story' for my character. Liath Bel'cador is the character I finished HOTU with, she is also my D&D character I use. I thought it would be an experience to have a character which has issues, one who is not quite stable.

All comments are appreciated and responded to if possible. I apologise for the breaking of canon and the like, it is not really important in this story I suppose.

Something sinister in the background is going on, the reader may or may not like this. Enjoy.

- Liath Bel'cador

Part 1 – Waterdeep I

Waterdeep; a great and powerful city on the continent of Faerûn on the plane of Toril was under siege. Built over the dark recesses of Undermountain, the great city had survived for centuries against whatever evil threatened it. Now, it was under attack, not from the country side around the walls but from underneath the city itself. For the first time, creatures were pouring up through the depths of Undermountain and it seemed nothing could stop them. A call had been put out for heroes to join the guard in their defence of the city and to solve the problems caused by this invasion of the creatures of the menacing Underdark.

The guards were closing the gates for the night, a long process in which a score of guardsmen would strain on the mechanical levers to close the doors and seal them. As they were closing the second gate, the light of the sun nearly vanished they saw a lone figure walking down the road towards them. As bows were readied, the guard captain called out an order for the person to halt and state their business.

"I heard that the city of Waterdeep has put out a call for volunteers to help fight the menace which currently assails it." The voice was definitely male but was undefined and was hard to remember the tone.

The guards looked at one another, finally the captain leaned forward again. "It is past dusk, what man comes so late without transport to the gates of the city?"

"A man who sees you obviously do not need my assistance," with that he turned and began to walk back.

"Wait!" the captain called. "Are you saying you can help us?"

"I cannot read the future," the shadow said gnomically, "but I am experienced in such matters as you mentioned."

"Then enter, but we look badly upon any sort of crime or misdeeds."

"Then I will be sure not to commit them," the man said and walked into the light of the torches. He wore a long black cloak that shrouded him and a hood and mask. The mask was black and was in the shape of a sculpture's first draft of a face; beneath the cloak was the shimmer of blackened armour and a sword hilt.

As he walked forward, a spear haft intercepted him gently and the captain moved into his path. "We bid you welcome stranger but we ask to see your face. None may enter with disguises already applied, we would see your true form."

The man cocked his head to one side, "of course, I wear it only when I fight so that my enemy might not see my true form."

He reached up to his face and pulled the mask and hood aside with a single move. Instead of some horror or monstrosity that the captain was secretly expecting, he found himself looking at the pleasant features of an elf lady. He looked again, the voice had sounded so neutral but had been undeniably male. His confusion must have been evident because she leaned forward and smiled. She had skin that was almost as pale as some of the lighter drow that he had seen in the few incursions they had made. Her eyes were a steel-blue which matched her skin whilst her hair was as white as untouched snow. She also deliberately kept the right side of her face in shadow.

"I see my appearance confuses you captain," the voice was definitely feminine, there was no illusion here it was clear. "The mask not only hides my appearance, it hides my voice so my foes do not know who they face. I am Lady Liath Bel'cador."

The captain, a human of about thirty smiled nervously as the mask was again donned. "Welcome then, my lady. Durnan, the owner of the Yawning Portal Inn is organising the efforts of the adventurers."

"Very well captain, a good night to you," the dull voice vanished into the shadows behind him.

"Close the gates," he ordered his men shakily. He did not know whether to be happy or alarmed at this new arrival.

The stranger walked down the streets from the gates through the crowded streets to the central south of the city. People glanced at her but could see no part of her exposed, they let her be though, something about her seemed to radiate power and danger. She was not sure where exactly she should go but nevertheless she followed her instincts and followed pointers only she could see. Finally, she came to a barricade manned by a dozen tough and gnarly men in the uniform of the guard. The looked her up and down and were obviously unable to detect her gender, as it should be.

"Listen friend, this area is the warzone, go back into the main part."

"I seek the Yawning Portal yonder," she stated tonelessly.

One man rose to his feet and looked down on the elf. "Listen boy, only those with the leave of the High Captain go past, now go away."

"I would recommend that you do not obstruct me, soldier."

The big man chuckled, he was over six foot three and broad like an ox. "And why's that boy?"

Liath stared at the man for a few moments, judging him and then reached inside her cloak and drew out a paper sealed with wax. "Then read this," she commanded, the man looked uncertain. "You can read I assume?" she asked, drawing far too much enjoyment from the encounter. As usual, her dormant darkside took advantage of her at the strangest moments.

The big man growled and shouted along the street, "capt'n, some man wants to see you."

A medium sized man with a wide moustache and an arrogant air approached from the door of a building marked as "off limits." "What is it sergeant?" he demanded.

"Man has permission to enter he reckons."

"Why did you not deal with the matter yourself eh? Alright you, get over here and show me what you have." These last words were barked at Liath who moved quietly over to him.

"Captain, I am glad that you showed prudence. It seems your man could do with some more training."

The soldier's eyes narrowed, "so? what is so important?"

Liath handed the letter over, the man broke the seal without looking and read it over quickly. He looked up and then down again, "and what does this mean?"

"The seal, before you broke it was that of Lord Nasher of Neverwinter, signed by Aarin Gend, his personal aide. It is also signed and sealed by the Ambassador of your own city." The voice was so calm and reasonable that the captain was finding it difficult to think, or was that the seven pints he had had?

He reached a decision, "very well, the Portal is just over the square."

Liath took the note back and bowed her head before walking away. The guards watched her go and shrugged, going back to their leisure.

A huge, one armed half-orc guarded the doorway and growled suspiciously as the black robed figure appeared out of the dark shadows of the street.

"What you want?" he asked thickly.

Liath smiled behind her mask, this would be amusing. She flourished a piece of paper which had actually been her requisition of supplies some months before.

"You will call me lord when you talk to me, lackey," she hissed. "Can you not read what this order says? Why is such an incompetent on duty here?" Her voice was so commanding that the half-breed saluted.

"Sorry lord, I cannot read it," he muttered.

"You will let me pass then and be thankful I do not have you dismissed for insubordination."

The half-orc had no idea what the last word meant but hurriedly stepped aside, bowing as he did so.

Liath swept past him, amused despite the nagging guilt that that was not the right thing to do. She looked at the guard, "imbecile," she muttered and walked into the inn.

Inside was the usual collection of soldiers, nobles and mercenaries that always inhabited such places. Liath walked into the room, aware of the gazes on her, she felt a gentle probe at her mind but repelled it without difficulty. It had not been serious and she followed the source to the owner, a younger elf woman in blue robes and a pleasant smile. The elf woman bowed her head, seemingly having found nothing worth discussing in Liath's mind.

"What can I get you lord?" the bartender asked.

"I seek the owner of the establishment, Durnan I believe his name is."

The barkeep nodded his head, "up the stairs to the right. He is just interviewing other mercenaries."

Liath thought briefly of making the man retract his words but then decided against it. She walked slowly up the stairs and along the corridor until she entered the room where two half-elf rangers were just being dismissed. They looked like brothers, twins maybe but Liath did not care.

Durnan looked up at the unsettling tall black shape with no sign of skin or even gender visible, he nodded and waved to the seat on the other side of the table. The table was covered with papers, quills, glasses and other miscellaneous objects that the man pushed aside. He was a strong man, probably past his prime as a fighter but a determined man still. His gaze tried to pierce the hood and cloak but failed.

"What can I do for you? You will be wanting a room no doubt, are you here to join the adventurers?"

"You have answered your own questions, licensee. I have authority from the Ambassador of this city and the blessing of Lord Nasher of Neverwinter."

Liath handed him the note which he read over and then looked up. "You know Eairth Fel'dore?" he asked in surprise.

"In a manner of speaking yes, he a friend of a friend is a better description. We are still close to each other though and he heard of the trouble here and had me recommended."

Durnan was still gaping in surprise, the Hero of Neverwinter's friend was here to help them. This was comforting news indeed, most of the people who came here would be hard pressed to kill a weak goblin. "I am pleased to see you, but it says that your name is Liath."

"What of it?" she asked though she knew the answer.

"Liath is a ladies name and this letter refers to a 'her'"

Liath sighed and pulled the mask free, shaking her hair out as she did so, she sighed. "Does that answer your question, human?" her voice was smooth and feminine once more.

Durnan let the species remark go but nodded, "I see. Why the disguise?"

"It is for personal reasons as well as military. I do not want to discuss it." Her voice had shown actual emotion for the first time since she had entered the city.

The face was covered again before he could protest, she had turned her face away from him so only the left side of her face could be seen. The owner of the tavern wondered what it was that marred her beauty which was striking.

"I am sorry to pry on that matter, you may have one of my better rooms since you are a hero of renown. It is not the palace of the Shah but it is the best you will find in the warzone."

"I am sure it will be adequate," she stated blandly. Durnan was unsettled by the dull, inhuman voice coming from the elf woman but let it go.

"Good, tomorrow morning we discuss our plans for the entry into Undermountain. Until then, I suppose we should rest."

"This is a fact," the elf stated and walked from the room.

The guest accommodation was nothing special to Liath but it was perfectly adequate. "At least it isn't bloody white marble. I swear if I stay in another room with white marble I will injure someone," she muttered. She locked the door and looked around; three rooms of clean and decent accommodation. A log fire was burning in the grill whilst opposite it was a double bed with thin lace curtains around it. The floor was carpeted except for around the fire place and bathroom. This room was reasonably sophisticated and contained a portable bath which the elf intended to bring out into the main room. Liath nodded in appreciation and, after seeing the windows locked and barred, began to settle down. She stripped off the long cloak and mask, setting them on the bed as her white hair uncoiled and flowed down her back. There was only one mirror in the room and she covered it with a spare piece of cloth before moving on. Underneath this she wore black coloured armour of flexible plates with matching leg plates and bracers; her gloves were of some kind of black leather that seemed unusually tight and responsive. At her waist was a sword, a weapon she used in both hands despite her evident strength and ability to use it in one. It was not a weapon covered with ornamentation, just a couple of simple steel guards and a arrow shaped pommel. The blade was a greatsword and a mighty weapon it seemed indeed. Liath set it down and stripped off her armour, putting it carefully out of sight, adding a pair of short swords to the pile which she carried at her back. Finally the elf stood in just a black tunic, trousers and gloves, she winced as she looked down at her hands as though they pained her but she fought the emotion aside.

There was a knock on the door, Liath swore inventively but knew there was no time to put her cloak and mask back on.

"Who is it?" she demanded, one of her short swords in hand just in case

A pleasant female voice called from the other side, "sorry to interrupt but the owner said you were friends with the Hero of Neverwinter."

Liath sighed, her darker side was urging her to discard this meddlesome person so she could get some rest. Her other side however, deplored this and took control.

"Wait, I will unlock it."

Liath was able to unlock the door and stand back as the speaker came into the room. She was the elf lady from downstairs, the one in blue robes who appeared a priest or cleric. Liath sighed and faced to the wall so her right side was out of sight.

"Come in, I was just getting unpacked, as you can see, my appearance is somewhat deceiving."

"We all have our reasons dear," she said, closing the door and locking it. "I was a friend of Eairth and hoped he would come here. Instead you have come, a friend of his, I am glad to see you. My name is Linu, Linu La'Neral. Are you alright?" the other elf asked in concern.

Liath was suddenly filled with anger and disgust, disgust at herself. The cleric could see the anger over the half of the face she could see, could sense her pain and impotence.

Liath forced a smile, "I am pleased to meet you Linu. Eairth is a good friend and asked me to come here in his place." A half truth was better than no truth she supposed.

"Where is he? He vanished after saying goodbye and thanking us. We expected he would stay at least a few days."

"He had duties elsewhere, he told me the story though. I was impressed, he has developed as a cleric so he has."

Linu looked happy, her green eyes filled with remembrance until she looked back at Liath. "Three more of us who survived came here, they are downstairs but I thought I would come and say hello."

"Then thankyou my elven friend. I hope to see you in the morning."

Linu wanted to ask why the other elf was hiding her right cheek so much but did not want to anger her. She stood and was heading to the door when Liath called to her.

"Please do not come to see me again without warning," she advised carefully.

Linu looked back to see the elf woman looking away from her, she did not answer but walked out the door and closed it behind her.

Liath walked to the mirror and pulled the sheet clear.

Ten seconds later, the mirror was an empty frame, the broken glass scattered over the floor as Liath fell onto the bed, her breaths stifled with emotion.

The door opened as the hand was poised to knock on it a second time; the young human woman stepped back in surprise. She had been told of the appearance of the stranger but still the appearance of, her, was disconcerting. The expressionless mask, the black hood and the shining pommel of the sword at her side all filled the girl with fear. She was Durnan's daughter, a tough girl who would not shy away from battle but now she felt paralysed.

"I assume my presence is requested downstairs?" Liath asked from behind her disguise, the younger woman nodded. The innkeeper's daughter was wearing a simple white cotton dress, well made but which seemed so simple before the black silk and oiled steel.

"Yes my lady, my father, Durnan wishes to talk with you."

"Granted, I will be down momentarily, my thanks."

Tamsil nodded here head and backed away, walking back down the stairs into the smoky main room of the Inn. Her father was waiting with a dozen other adventurers around a long wooden table set for the midday meal. The owner's daughter looked at the scarred, hard faces of the adventurers, sitting together in groups, the four who had come from Neverwinter sat together at the far end. The oak table was covered in maps and charts of the city and the Undermountain passages. All eyes looked up to her, she blushed and moved over to her father who smiled grimly.

"Is she not coming Tamsil? It is near noon and she has not come down."

"She said she would be down soon," she replied, the girl had not understood the last word the elf had said but thought it meant that.

"Well I hope so, this crowd is getting restless," Durnan muttered and waved his hand at the other stairs leading upwards. "Go on child, go and see to the rooms upstairs, then you may have this evening off."

"Thank you father," she said, embracing him quickly before moving off across the main room.

Durnan looked at the adventurers before him, a rag-tag bunch, those closest to the city had arrived, word had not spread far enough yet. The four Heroes of Neverwinter were the exception, four experienced adventurers who were about as different as they came. There was the brown haired elf cleric, Linu sitting next to a huge half-orc who was taller sitting than many were standing. These two were the most trustworthy in the innkeeper's mind, the elf seemed almost too kind and generous. Even Daelin the half-orc seemed unnaturally honourable, something that Durnan had not expected. Opposite them was a human woman, Sharwyn who imperiously looked around the room, she was too impetuous in the older man's experienced opinion. And then there was the halfling thief, Tomi, not a person to trust anywhere you would not see him.

"You alright Durnan?" a polite voice came from behind him, he turned to see his friend, the Duke of Westphal coming out of the sunlight into the inn.

"Santos! Why are you here?" Durnan asked, his face full of shock.

The duke pushed back his greying brown hair, smiling happily, "I heard you needed experienced men to fight beside you. As I am the duke of a broken city, I gathered all of my people who still live and came to your aid."

Durnan looked at the man as though he was a revenant from the pit, they had been friends once; but he had not seen him in a dozen years. The man did not look much older now than he had before, rumours of some elven heritage were showing themselves to be more factual than he had thought.

"I am glad beyond words to see you again Santos, it is going to be a hard fight even though it has just started."

Santos clapped the stern retired adventurer on the shoulder, "I have only five men left. Only five out of near three thousands."

"I am sorry it needed to end like this Santos," Durnan said, his usual calm returning.

The duke shook his head as though the older man had not understood correctly, "it would have been none if you had not been at my side. Enough of the past though, what is the situation?"

"I was to have a meeting at dawn but my star attraction has not put in an appearance," Durnan said sourly.

"And who would that be?" the duke's voice was accented with the tone of his home far to the east.

"She is a friend of the Hero of Neverwinter," he said sardonically. "We were used to strange people but she is the worst Santos, the worst."

"As in the one who defeated Aribeth in combat?" Santos asked, interested.

"Aye, a friend of his, some elf woman who wears a mask all the time."

"He was a worthy man, a true gentleman," Santos murmured.

"You met him? I did not even know you were there?"

"I marched with the Lord's Alliance and helped disperse the enemy forces after Aribeth was captured. He would not kill her you understand; I met him after the battle. I also met him a few years ago, not to know but he remembered me; he must have a good memory to remember me after all that time."

"Well I am suspicious still, where is she anyway?" he snapped in irritation.

"She will come," Santos assured the older man.

"Then she can come and see me in my backroom, I have some seven year whisky, fancy a shot?"

"When you put it like that Alliner, how can I refuse?" the nobleman said and strode away. Those at the table followed, leaving just the four companions of Eairth Fel'dore alone in the room.

Liath was content to let those below wait, they could wait for her or they could choose not to, it was not her concern. She checked her possessions for the last time and walked out of her room. A few other guests were about, they stared at her suspiciously but the elf ignored them and walked down into the main room. Only four were in this large room; the four of them had been companions of Eairth, Liath frowned in her mask at that name. His imperious tone made her want to strike him for his demanding tone. She respected him but at that moment it had been all serious business. He had spoken briefly to her, very briefly, she had resented the reason she was here. She silently cursed them all, manipulative scheming-.

"Look who's here then!" a voice said as she pushed open the door.

Liath looked imperiously down at the four adventurers as they turned with expressions ranging from welcoming smiles to suspicious frowns. Linu stood and walked forward towards the newcomer, the image of the woman's pale hair uppermost in her mind. She had seen nothing that was deserving of this total deprivation of light or outside influences; she had though, only seen half of the woman's face.

"It is good to see you at last Liath, we though you had been lost to us when you did not come down before."

"I was ensuring my equipment was functional," the hooded elf stated blandly.

"Of course, of course," the elf cleric said in the way a negotiator of international treaties turns insults into compliments.

The huge half-orc walked forward and held out a welcoming hand to the stranger who took it after a moment. "It is an honour to finally meet a friend of the fearsome Eairth Fel'dore. I hope we might strive against the forces of darkness together."

"Hopefully it is an event I will not have to participate in but since an enemy threatens, how else can I respond?"

The barbarian did not know if he was being insulted or not and so frowned behind his thick brows. The expressionless mask of the woman did not show anything as she looked on to where a halfling was trying to surreptitiously to look under her mask, without success. The halfling had the undeniable look of a thief about him as he straightened up and tried to look innocent. He was about four and a half foot high with reddish hair and numerous scars across his face.

"Pleased to meet you my lady, my name is Tomi, I hope you won't mind if I just ask why you wear that big mask, aye?"

The temperature seemed to lower by several degrees, the blank mask of the woman looked into the rouge's eyes for several seconds before sweeping up.

"That is none of your concern, halfling, if it ever is, I will be sure to tell you."

"You aren't exactly easy to miss in a crowd are ya?" he countered, not at all put off the topic.

"As are you, if one could look down far enough that is," she said. The thief was not happy at this arrogant insult but the nonchalant way the masked woman's hand touched her sword hilt put pay to any riposte.

A tall red headed human woman in her twenties was the last of the former companions of Eairth Fel'dore, she looked capable despite her slender appearance. She was indeed beautiful but it was a beauty that was more tempered with experience than that of many woman who simply lived in cities their whole lives. It was clear that she had travelled and done much in her life, comparatively short though that was.

"Greetings Liath, I am Sharwyn, I expect Eairth told you all about me," she said as though she expected as much and enjoyed it.

"No, regrettably he did not tell me of the woman who were in his company," the bland words were infuriatingly provocative. The human woman found her anger slowly rising.

"So he said nothing about his companions through that long and difficult adventure we all endured?"

Linu was making vague motions to placate the woman, to no avail. "He told me only that which he judged was important. Did you expect such recognition? Were you involved with him romantically?"

The woman spluttered in outrage whilst Tomi tried to hide a chuckle and Linu tried to intervene, the cleric was ignored though. "Of course not, you think I would fall for him?" Sharwyn demanded.

"He has unusual taste in woman," Liath stated, the human's fists clenched.

"Perhaps if we could-" Linu began.

"No," Sharwyn said, she would not be defeated by this arrogant elf bitch. "Tell me what is so unusual about me then."

"You are human, he has had several of them in the past much to the surprise of those around him."

Her eyes narrowed, "is that so, if I find him-" she began.

"I thought you said there was nothing between you?" the masked elf asked innocently.

"Listen, there was nothing going on, you were not there."

"You indignant outrage says more than you ever could, human. If not, then why do you care?"

"I don't," she snapped in return.

"Good, I am pleased we talked, human." The emphasis on the last word was one of dislike, even anger

"So what do you want, elf? At least he wasn't so damn arrogant. Why do you dislike humans so much anyway?"

Abruptly, the masked woman looked to Linu, her tone softened, despite the mask. "Linu my friend, where is the owner of this inn?"

The elven cleric was taken aback by the friendly question. After the insults handed out to her three friends, she stuttered slightly in response, "he, he is in the next room. He was awaiting your arrival but when you did not appear, he retired with an old friend to the backroom."

"Then let us meet him shall we?" Liath asked courteously and let the elf cleric go first, following her closely. The three other Heroes of Neverwinter followed, passing looks of annoyance at each other.

Durnan looked up as the damn elf woman in the cloak finally entered the room. He swore softly and flicked a meaningful gaze to the duke who took the hint and stood with a traditional salute.

"My lady Bel'cador, a pleasure to see you," he said in perfect high elven, a language few spoke well.

Liath seemed both impressed and amused, her arrogance disappeared as she bowed, "I greet you." As was to be expected, her high elven was perfect but strangely accented, "it is so rare to find a human who knows the old language. So many of your people are intellectual barbarians."

"Indeed they are," Duke Santos changed back to common. Only the two elves in the room, Durnan and the duke had understood her words, Linu looked a little shocked at them in fact. "I am Duke Maelius Santos of the ruined city of Westphal, I am honoured to meet the friend of the noble Lord Fel'dore."

When it was clear that they would be speaking in common, the elf's arrogance re-emerged. "We were not close you understand. We only knew each other well enough to trust each other with the necessary details. It is not as if we were related."

Santos seemed a little taken aback by this swing and flung a hopeless look at Durnan who shrugged.

"If we might sit Lady Bel'cador," Durnan said in presentable elven. She graciously accepted the invitation, he sighed as he repeated the instruction so that the others might understand. The others mercenaries had been given their instructions, now there were just these five to talk to.

"Well, now we are all assembled, we might begin," Durnan said pointedly in Liath's direction but the elf ignored his words totally. "As you are aware, this city sits on top of the old network of tunnels and passages of Undermountain. Undermountain, for those who may not know is a dungeon created and maintained by the mad mage Halaster for reasons unknown. What is known however, is that recently, his control has slipped, something has happened to the wizard. Now drow and other races rarely seen on the surface are coming through Undermountain and attacking the city, at the moment as just individuals but we cannot tell if this might increase at any moment. We have some time as there are precious few entires into those caverns and all of them can be guarded. What does need to be watched is if they find a way to create a portal that bypasses our defences. If they do then we may have a serious issue on our hands."

"Obviously, what do we know about the portals down there that exist?" Liath asked, Sharwyn's eye twitched slightly but she remained composed.

"My inn is built over one of them, there is another in the west of the city and another in the north, all are under heavy guard."

"You say that these incursions have been small?" Liath's voice became more precise, she was obviously a commander of some experience.

"Yes I did, several prominent citizens have been slain in their beds by silent assassins, the rulers are in a state of confusion."

"And why did it fall to you to call for help?"

"Military help is not what is important at the moment, what is needed is tough people who can investigate this danger before it escalates. Also, I am the man responsible for equipping and supplying adventurers in this city, people are likely to listen to me."

"Understood, I would like to look at these portals," Liath declared.

"It is not up to me to allow or deny such a request, why would you want to anyway?"

"If there is a common connection, then perhaps we can find a way to use them to our advantage," Liath replied patiently.

"I would try the one in the university in the west of the city by the river. It is a wizard's academy mainly and they have spent the last weeks trying to stop the incursions."

"Good, I will go there in the morning. What are our plans beyond that?"

"We will send our people down into the caverns to find out what has happened and stop the attacks happening. I have the support of the city guard but they will not move until there is proof and a chance of success."

"If I might?" Daelin, the half orc put in.

"Of course," Durnan said, the half-orc nodded his head in acceptance.

"How many soldiers can we count upon?"

"Perhaps three hundred are willing and able enough to join us once we have a definite lead," the old innkeeper said.

"And the enemy will have twice that," Liath muttered, her head declined as she considered the possibilities.

"We do not know their strength yet," Santos said in place of his friend.

Unexpectedly she nodded her acknowledgement. "This is a fact, I assume I have my room for tonight?"

"Yes you do, it is still only two hours after noontime."

"I have business to attend to in the city," Liath declared.

"Bloody elves," Sharwyn muttered, just loud enough to hear but not enough to cause an incident.

The mask turned to stare its cold stare at the human, to the bard's disappointment, there was no reply.

"May I come with you?" Linu asked unexpectedly.

"Of course you can my dear."

The elf looked a little surprised by the strange term of endearment, Tomi sniggered something which all ignored, to his disappointment.

Linu stood and moved over to where the black robed woman was standing; both elves moved out the door, they were soon followed by the other three companions. Santos looked to Durnan, "she is a strange one. What is with the mask?"

"I don't know Maelius, I believe it is to cover an injury or disfigurement she may have, but what it is? I cannot tell."

"Can she be trusted?"

"Wait and see, she seems to make a few enemies as it is so let's see if the drow take the liking to her that we do."

The city of Waterdeep was much brighter in the daylight, the gloom and depression of the night was gone, replaced with the common sights of any big city. People were everywhere, the main streets were packed with stalls belonging to every race common to these lands. The two elves flowed through the crowd like oil in a flow of water, not stopping to talk until they reached the great square of the palace of Waterdeep. To the north and west was the palace, a great fortress surrounded by twin stone walls covered in guards and protected by heavy gates. In the centre of the square was a large marble fountain whilst to the south and east were the estates of the wealthier people, those who could afford to live in the great square. Abruptly, Liath slowed and looked back to the cleric who was having trouble keeping up with the pace set by the older woman.

"We are very close to where I have to go and a little early, let us talk."

Linu seemed a little taken aback, "talk? Talk about what dear?"

"Well, since we will be going to the academy tomorrow, I want to know who I am fighting beside."

"I am?"

"You do wish to stop these incursions or else you would not be here," Liath said like she was talking to a child.

"Oh, sorry. I got distracted. Well, what do you want to know?"

"I know your name and that you are an elf cleric, this is good but I know nothing else about you."

"Sorry dear, I am a cleric in the service of the goddess Sehanine Moonbow. I was once a resident of Ekeldra and a priest there but I, I left," she finished with a blush.

"What happened that made you leave?" Liath asked in high elven.

Linu clearly disapproved of this shift but complied, "it is not something I often talk of." Her face was flushed as she looked into the mask, "if you must know, it is because I am different from other elves."

"I have noticed that you have a somewhat awkward walking style as compared to other elves. It seems you concentrate very intently on it, when you do it is almost normal but forced."

The ears of the cleric were now pink as her embarrassment rose, "I have a reputation for being clumsy. When I am around, accidents just seem to happen, I accidentally destroyed my own temple, I was not banished, just firmly asked to go elsewhere."

Linu expected harsh scorn or even worse, a polite comment that was worse than any insult. Instead, the masked woman laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, the cleric was aware of the keen gaze of the hidden face. "It is not easy being an outcast my dear, I know that too well." There was a deep pain and regret in the voice which the mask could not nullify. "So you concentrate on yourself so you will not be the target of ridicule, in the end though you overcompensate."

"Yes, I suppose I do," she replied softly.

"Then you can be assured that I will not scorn you, I judge a person by their soul, not their body."

The elf cleric was utterly surprised by this, the warm tone of the voice had pierced even the shroud over the black robed elf's face. "Thank you Liath, it is so nice to hear someone say that."

"I do what I can for those I look upon as allies. Please do go on."

"Well, shortly after, I came to Neverwinter and met Eairth when he saved me from a host of thugs by the docks. He took me back and helped cure my wounds, we became friends but nothing more. The rest of the tale is well known."

"It is indeed my dear, so what will you do now?"

"I will see this danger through, there is a hundred thousand gold pieces promised to the one who rids the city of its evil."

"And this sum is why you are here?" Liath asked.

Linu detected a faint note of disappointment, she rallied quickly, "of course not. I am a cleric, my aim is to help those in need. This city has no shrine to my lady though, I would have one created for those who also worship her."

"An interesting idea," Liath said thoughtfully.

"And what of you Liath? What will you do when this is over?"

"It has barely began my dear," the elf said evasively. "Speaking of which, we should be going."

Linu did not miss the deliberate sidetracking, she decided to go obliquely to the point. "You must forgive Sharwyn, she is a little quick to anger sometimes."

"She is human, that is what makes her human," the voice said bitterly.

"What did they do to you that you hate them all?" Linu asked, she half expected an angry riposte or even a threat but instead received a quiet demur.

"That, my dear is something you do not need to know. It will not interrupt our mission I assure you but I have reasons for it."

"Is that why you wear the mask?" Linu asked, knowing it was a foolish thing to ask.

"Yes," came the hateful response, then the woman was moving away quickly, Linu hurried to catch up, her mind wondering at this development.

Linu checked her rapier was still at her side as she turned the corner to face the impressive temple of Tyr in the streets of the Castle Ward. Outside the door, Liath was waiting for her patiently, next to her was a priest of the temple.

"Priest La'Neral, this is Priest Triew, we have important business to discuss, I will not be long. Please stay inside the temple courtyard until I return."

With that, the elf led the other man who might have been a half-elf by the looks of him into the temple; Linu followed until she came to the main courtyard of Tyr's main temple in this mighty city. Linu wondered why her companion was talking to a priest she had never met before, this of course assumed she had not been here before. She had said she had not but Linu was starting to doubt the claim as the two shook hands and sat in a small room, closing the door. For some reason, the pleasant young elf was troubled by something, something was not right here, the stranger was not all she appeared. And they knew nothing about her, not even if she really was a friend of Eairth, she had certainly not sounded like a friend. The elf knew she had to get closer, she wanted to hear what was being said so she moved through the shadows towards the distant doorway. She leaned in close, her elven ears proving they had more then decorative value as she leaned against the door like she was waiting for someone. No one accosted her, no one called out for her motives, the temple was busy but others were also slumped against walls, waiting so she blended in. Although most of those around her were human, there were enough elves to not create undue attention in her direction. She heard the conversation, already halfway through.

"-situation is growing worse." A strong male voice spoke, obviously the priest, or whatever he was.

"Has anything more been found?" Liath's voice questioned, she was talking normally without her mask. Linu knew that she was not lying about her injuries, but here she was, showing them to a priest she did not know?

"No, we have parties searching the north of-" the priest put in.

"That is not important, I do not care for that human fool."

"Your dislike for humans may undercut the success of this mission Liath."

"I do not need to be lectured, Knight," she snapped.

"As you say, his lordship is anxious for the situation to proceed."

"And what of our mutual friends beneath the city?"

"They are waxing strength against this excuse of a city. I anticipate that it will only be a matter of days before proceedings start."

"Then our real mission will begin, Knight," Liath said happily.

"We will be ready, it will be a good introduction for you. His lordship is eager for this matter to be, resolved."

Linu's eyes widened despite herself through out this whole conversation, something was definitely wrong here. The two were talking like old friends, discussing the situation as through they were part of a group bent on secrecy and shadowy actions. The elf cleric sighed in panic as the conversation was apparently drawing to a close.

"Then remember your objectives Lady Bel'cador and may Aurelius protect you."

"I do not need his protection, all I need is for my sword to perform its duties," the voice became muffled as the mask was once again donned.

Linu panicked, she did not know what the words meant but knew that admitting to spying would be a terminal mistake. She sprinted across the courtyard and headed towards a spare alter where she could pretend she had prayed to her goddess. The door was just opening behind her as she was reaching the alter. In her relief, she looked away, then things went wrong. She had not seen the Priest of Tyr, she had not seen the crack in the flagstones beneath her and she had certainly not seen what the man next to him had carried. He was carrying a large iron torch, such as the priests used in their rituals, the head priest was wearing an elaborate cloth robe as befitted his station. Linu hit the crack in the pavement and cried briefly before she impacted the priest. The elf, light though she was, ploughed into the two men with surprising force, throwing the older priest into his acolyte; the acolyte with the burning torch. By one of those ironies that the elf was by now accustomed to, the cloak of the older man was made of wool ingrained with oil to resist water, it burst into flames. The priest with the torch had meanwhile dropped his implement and fallen over, onto a sundial that collapsed in a heap. The head priest, his robe on fire however shrieked like a banshee and threw himself into an ornamental pond; there was a hiss of stream and he spluttered to the surface. Linu was face down on the cobbles, she was uninjured save for a scrape on her hand and a bruised ear, the latter hurt, but not as much as her embarrassment.

A hand picked her up effortlessly, lifted her like a rag doll and set her on her feet. Expecting angry priests and monks with fearsome intentions she gabbled something unintelligible. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean, you should know," she began.

"I leave you alone for a quarter hour and this is what happens Priest La'Neral?" came the blank but slightly humoured voice of Liath. Linu's face burned in shame but the rational part of her mind knew that it was the perfect cover for her listening at the door.

"Liath, I am sorry I have embarrassed you, you see what I mean?"

"I see you were not lying it is certain; an amusing distraction, even for one as jaded as I. Now, let us go before something else happens."

"You there, stranger!"

"Oh dear," Linu muttered at the apparition appearing before her.

The head priest was a mess, his robes were soaked with large patches of scorch marks, his beard was singed and even his near bald head was black. His eyes were also full of fury, "what is the meaning of this, this prank?" he bellowed.

"It was just an accident sir," Linu said helplessly as the man advanced.

"I damn well hope it is, attacking a priest in my lawful bounds, I will have the guard flog your miserable elven hide."

To Linu's surprise, Liath seized her roughly and turned her to face the enraged priest. The masked woman seized Linu's ear and held it firmly, ignoring the pained gasps of the cleric.

"I assure you sir, this servant will not go unpunished," her voice had become definitely more masculine and showed a hint of anger.

"I would have her punished her and now for her insolence. Do you own her?"

"In a manner of speaking sir," Liath said bluntly. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a small bag. "Should two hundred gold be adequate to cover the damages to your property? I will see this pitiful excuse for an elf whipped," she said.

The priest nodded, "that will be adequate my lord. A new comer to Waterdeep?"

"Yes, I made contact with a priest of your temple who had intimate knowledge of the area. I did not expect this worthless female to injure a personage such as yourself."

"You're hurting me," Linu said and received a light crack on the ears.

"Silence, you have done enough today. With your permission? Liath asked, still using her tone of command.

"Good day to you lord, my god will be satisfied by your reparations."

Linu was frogmarched away until they were out of sight where she was released, stumbling into a wall. The elf cleric looked up at her resentfully, "that hurt Liath, how would you like me to return it?" she asked peevishly.

"At the appropriate moment my dear," Liath replied, her feminine voice returning. The voice was humoured and almost, suggestive?

Linu looked at the other woman as she said the strange statement and felt a blush rising slightly. As usual there was nothing to be seen through the mask, she had the impression though that the other elf was laughing at her. "It was just an accident," she muttered.

"Of course it was young one but priests make bad enemies, they are so fanatically devoted to something they ignore reason. That is why I hurried you out of there before somebody did something worse than bruise your ear."

"Thank you then Liath," Linu said humbly.

"You are so cute when you are embarrassed, I know you would not be alive still if it happened in battle so I will not chide you so."

The cleric looked at the blank covering, trying to see if the words were teasing or actually genuine, she could not decide so decided to play safe. "We had best get back, I can sense that something is going to happen tomorrow."

"I know something is going to happen tomorrow my dear," Liath said and strode away, leaving the cleric deep in thought about the last words.

Durnan's Inn, The Yawning Portal was crowded even more than the night before, people thronged the main room as the sun set outside. The old adventurer employed about a dozen staff who weaved amongst the crowd, trying to serve the people there and maintain some semblance of order. The inn was unusual in the fact that it had none of the less civilised aspects of many such establishments, no women, gambling or fighting pits; people went elsewhere for that.

Liath appeared out of the dusk, leading the bruised and dirty elf cleric along; the half-orc guard made a half hearted salute but was ignored. Various people of all races and genders looked up as the cloaked figure entered the room, followed by the embarrassed elven priest. The two made their way over to where the three remaining Neverwinter adventurers were sitting. Sharwyn was about to arrogantly turn away when she saw Linu's embarrassed, slightly bruised face.

"Been in a fight Linu?" she asked innocently. Daelin looked at Liath with a subdued anger, anger if it was the masked woman who had hurt his friend.

"I had, had an accident, yes," she muttered.

"Set fire to a priest and then pushed him into a divination pool, by accident of course," Liath stated dryly.

"With some help from you?" Sharwyn asked stiffly, deigning to accuse the elf.

"I was on the other side of the temple, but she was forgiven her sins."

"Looks like someone hauled you along by that ear of yours aye?" Tomi asked innocently.

"A necessary diversion to escape having her punished by the angry priests."

Tomi laughed at that, "I knew them pointy ears were useful for something."

Linu blushed slightly but before she could speak, she was interrupted by Liath standing up. "I will be in my room, I would be happy if you did not come in unannounced."

"Hiding your pretty face again?" Sharwyn said, she obviously could not avoid the pick.

The gloved hands clenched by the elf's sides before she abruptly turned and left the room.

"That was good, remind me to put some of your wit on your headstone," Tomi said to the bard who glowered.

"Just before I had my accident today, I overheard her talking to someone. I think we should watch her closely." Linu surreptitiously tried to straighten her hair but stopped when Tomi raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Think she's crooked do you?" the rogue asked.

"Perhaps not, Tomi, I think there is more going on then we can see."

"We will keep an eye on her," Daelin rumbled. "I will monitor her to see if she does anything strange."

"Lady Bel'cador, if we might speak a moment?" the elf turned gracefully at the words in her language. Lord Maelius Santos moved to intercept her, she waited until he arrived.

"Duke Santos, you are known to me," she said to his utter surprise.

"I am? I had not met you before today," he said but she shook her head.

"You had not met me before today, I was told of you by Eairth."

"A good man, if you do not mind me saying," he said, still in elven.

It was clear that she did mind but she put the objection aside, her voice was still slightly colder than she had employed before. "He was good at what he did," she acknowledged.

"I have been assigned command of the scouting party into Undermountain, I wanted to know something of your experience."

For the first time since arriving in Waterdeep, the elf chuckled softly, "indeed. I am to be this year, six hundred and thirty seven years old; of course, age means nothing without skills. I have lead forces from ten men to ten thousand into battle, I have never had an independent army command but led smaller formations. As for myself, I am a swordsman, a good one," there was no boasting, just simple facts.

"Then we are lucky indeed to have you, too few adventurers know how to both lead and fight."

"Well I was a commander first and a fighter later," Liath said truthfully.

"Then you will lead the first group down into the tunnels. With you will go Eairth's four companions and three others who I will choose for you. I will have my captain lead the second group, hopefully you can join up and help each other at a lower point."

"A bold move, I will do as you request. We will doubtless face stiff resistance from the enemy but we should be able to press on."

"What is your quarrel with the bard?" Santos asked, encouraged by her reasonable, military nature.

"It is not with her exactly, it is something you would not understand."

"Will it affect this expedition?" he asked.

"No, it will not, it is nothing personal but I have no liking for most humans."

He seemed shocked and even impressed by her free admission, he played safe. "Well I hope that you and I might put this behind us and work together."

The words were innocent but the fists of the elf woman clenched and her breaths became deeper. "Perhaps, now go. I am not to be disturbed.

The Duke of Westphal walked slowly across the floor to where Durnan waited, "I would not like to fight that woman."

"Let us hope the enemy agrees," Durnan said thoughtfully.


	2. Interlude I

Somehow this chapter has been lost so it is being added, again.  
I thank everyone for their reviews, though I find the latter two of great interest. Though I agree the method of the latter message was perhaps a little overzealous, I do agree with the point. Liath Bel'cador has been one of my D&D characters for years, she was also the one I finished HOTU with. It seems that more than the average number of stories use female characters, there is nothing wrong with this, I suppose.

As to the former reviewer, I thank you for your words and your defence of myself. It is perhaps unnecessary but I am still thankful for your review.

Anyway, a very brief interlude of a chapter, the shortest I have ever written on this site. I hope it serves its purpose.

Interlude I

The four adventurers waited in the stone square of the city, the stone had once been beautiful but now bore the scars of war and fire. The occasional burnt building smouldered still and the air was sickly with the scent of funeral pyres. The four people, an elf woman, a human lady, a halfling and a half-orc shifted as the summer sun beat down. It was still chilly despite this sun, it was getting colder in Neverwinter now the source stone was gone. Abruptly, the door to the castle opened and a familiar, welcome figure appeared and strode towards them. An elven male who had been beside them through all of their grim adventures and who always had a welcoming smile on his face. Today however, he was solemn, they had seen him curtly order them not to disturb him before he had gone to his room. Now his face was like it was filled with something like pain and even anger; he never showed negative emotions. Always he locked them up behind his eyes, even the death of Aribeth had not moved a tear from his eyes.

He was a tall man, six foot with blue eyes and brown-copper hair, his ears were pointed as was always the case with his race and his silvery armour was bright in the sun. He swirled his cloak about his back and walked towards them, holding a letter in his left hand while his right gripped the pommel of his longsword.

"Greetings my friends, a joyous and sad day it is," he began, the cleric's eyes were open with something akin to anger.

Linu stepped forward, "are you well Eairth? Your heart seems oppressed by something."

He bowed his head, "I have come to announce that I am leaving the city today, I have come to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Sharwyn started, she looked shocked, "I thought you would stay for at least a week longer."

The blue eyes of their friend closed but then opened again, "that was my hope also," he said bitterly. "I am needed elsewhere though, I have no choice in the matter."

"Have you not heard the news Eairth? Word arrived yesterday that Waterdeep is besieged from beneath, we leave today also." Daelin had hoped that this would dissuade his companion from leaving, his respect for the elf had increased with the revelation about Aribeth. Instead of killing her, he had brought her for justice, the end had been tragic anyway but at least he had not given in to hatred.

Eairth nodded and held up the letter, "I am aware of this. I am not coming but I have a companion of mine that will take my place." He said the word 'companion' with no feeling. "I would rather it was not so but you will meet her by the time you get there or just after."

"Where are you going that is so important?" Sharwyn asked, trying not to sound desperate.

"I cannot say," he looked at the clock and nodded, "I must go." He moved to Linu, embraced her quickly before stepping back, "I will miss you my friend, I wish you luck in the future."

"And you, I shall not forget what you have done for so many," the elf lady had small tears in her eyes which she rubbed away, stepping back.

Daelin took his friend's hand in a firm clasp, "farewell my friend, my the blessing of my people be upon you."

"And you Daelin, in you the spirit of your people lives still, guard them and yourself."

Sharwyn turned aside so that her friends would not see her sadness, Eairth took her chin in his gloved hand. "And you my friend, I wish you life and success as long as you shall live. I shall remember you, in case you do not, take this."

The human took the small package and opened it to see the delicate magical flute they had taken from the corpse of the illusionist of the Blackspine Mountains. "Eairth, I cannot take this, this, this is yours."

"And you are a bard, use it well my friend."

The woman's eyes looked up, seeing he was as sad as she was, "thank you Eairth." She wanted to tell him how much she cared for him but her words would not come, she hung her head as Eairth turned to the last of the four.

"And you, try not to steal anything," the halfling smiled.

"Farewell mate, I'll remember you when I next steal the jewels of a king."

"Don't remind me," Eairth muttered, he did not want to go down in people's minds as a thief of royal treasure.

His horse was already prepared so he swung himself up, saluted the Duke of Westphal he knew he would never see again, then rode through the gates of the city he had done so much to defend. In moments, he was gone leaving just the four companions alone in the smoky square.


	3. Waterdeep II

Waterdeep II

The cloaked woman was waiting already as Duke Maelius Santos entered into the main room, she stood like a statue, unmoving in the room's centre. It was not even dawn yet, the room was otherwise empty of people; the duke walked so he stood near her.

"Lady Bel'cador? We should be moving off."

"And why are you here Santos? I was under the impression you would be busy today," she said bluntly.

"I have knowledge of this city, knowledge that you do not have," he had not meant to sound so imperious. He realised it was a mistake as the woman's black mask turned to face him.

"That may be so, human but I am neither helpless nor am I awed by your knowledge." Her voice was a sharp hiss.

"I meant no disrespect, but-," he began.

"Well that is good, that is like stabbing a man and then saying you did not mean to hurt him. Anything else? Have we wasted sufficient time with this inane banter?"

"If that is your opinion, then we will leave now," Santos said stiffly.

The elf nodded, "lead the way, knowledgeable human." The duke was not sure if he caught the next words right, he hoped not. "For in just a blink of an eye you will be dead," he let it go but was suitably worried by the words to keep an eye on her.

The streets were damp with morning dew as the two walked through the near abandoned streets, west towards the docks of the city. It was a nice area, the docks area was actually blocked by a gate and wall to stop people without business entering. The two guards were sullen looking men who looked with annoyed hostility at these two strangers who disturbed their comfortable rest.

"Gate's closed, see?" one challenged.

"I have the authority of the council of lords, you will let us pass," Santos gave over the gate-pass but the guard made no move to take it.

"Gate don't open till dawn do you will just have to wait," the other said smugly.

"I will deal with these fools," Liath said in elvish. She walked forward with an arrogant bearing. "So are you not going to let me through?"

"You heard right mister," the first guard said.

"Then I shall direct you to article fifteen of the laws and ordinances of this city," Liath held up a piece of paper which was again the abused ration order.

"What?" the second man said suspiciously.

Liath took out a charcoal pencil and made a note on the paper, "and what is your name, guard?"

"None of you damn business," the man snarled, revealing rotting teeth.

"Disobedience added to the list, I am with the inspector general's department and he will be sure to hear of this dereliction of duty. Now if you were to open the doors I might just let it drop, this time."

"You have no right to do this?"

"Of course I do, article fifteen clearly states that an order from the council is to be followed over all other instructions."

The men shifted a glance, "you not tell no one?"

"If you open the gate in the next half minute I will be persuaded to forget," Liath said tonelessly.

"Alright," the guard said and heaved open the gate.

"Fools," Liath said with a hint of enjoyment when they were out of sight.

"That was deceitful and wrong, what is article fifteen anyway?"

"Covers property rights for widows of those killed in the city's service."

Santos looked at the masked woman, he was worried about her careless and chaotic behaviour. She was definitely the opposite of the passionate and honourable Eairth.

"So tell me of yourself," he stated.

"Why?" she countered bluntly.

"Because we are allies and I like to know who I fight beside."

"I have no doubt you do human. Well you can dream on about getting an answer from me," she said stiffly.

"Would it help if I told you about myself first?"

"No, but you are free to speak anyway," she said flatly.

"Have you got a problem with me or my race?" he snapped angrily, his patience finally exceeded.

"Humans have so small tempers, keeps it in proportion with everything else I suppose."

"Answer the damn question, elf," he almost shouted.

"I have no problem with you, yet. You are slipping in my estimations towards the rest of your kind. Brash, impetuous and short-tempered, I thought you were slightly better."

"That makes me feel a lot better," he muttered sarcastically.

"I'm glad to hear it, can't have you sulking around like a monk in a tavern."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Really? I am being blunt, human," she said still without any emotion.

"I am this close to pulling that damn mask off, you hear me?" it was the wrong thing to say. Had he been thinking straight, he would have acknowledged this.

The woman turned so fast he swore it was a trick, a knife was pressing into a very private area, her voice was terrible. "And you are this close, human, to being castrated." The duke swore he could see some sort of burning fire through the eyeholes of the mask, she would not hesitate to kill him.

"I am sorry, I did not mean offence. I only wanted to know more about you,"

The knife was gone into the black folds of the robe, "that is what they all say," she said softly. Then louder, "if you try or say that again, you will not live over it," she said and stalked away down the road. Santos was thankful the streets were empty, he sighed and moved to follow her.

The wizard academy was a tall imposing building that seemed determined to make any visitor know that it was a magical university. Multi-coloured smoke rose to mingle with fumes from a dozen other sources, lights and sparks flashed from many sources and everywhere was the hiss of steam and the crackle of power. Even Santos, as blind to magic as a rock could feel its power about him; a wind blew about him, whipping Liath's robe up as much as it could. The door was a tall and imposing object, a double gateway made of wood reinforced by wood, it was surrounded by stone walls which gave the distinct impression of being watched.

Liath showed no hesitation as she walked up to the door and knocked on the heavy wooden panelling, there was silence as a light breeze ghosted around them.

"I hear the wizards never get up before noon," Santos said in a doomed attempt to inject some life into the conversation.

"Well somebody is awake," the elf said blandly.

A peephole opened above them and a suspicious eye looked down on them.

"Yes? What is it?" it asked in a pinched tone of one who believes they have been disturbed from something vital.

"Greetings, I wish to enter your academy to study the portal over Undermountain." Her words were in high elven, it seemed she disliked speaking common almost as much as the race that had created it.

"And what makes you think we will let you enter?" the voice replied in the elvish, it was slightly more interested now.

"I have authority from the council of the city and a recommendation from the leader of Neverwinter."

"I am sorry, only those who are part of the guild may enter, it is clear you are not."

"And if I wished to join this guild?" Liath asked patiently, it seemed she had reserved judgement on the speaker until its race was revealed.

The door opened and a half-elf with the robes of an apprentice wizard stood before the two of them. Liath had her hands clenched behind her back, the only thing worse than humans was those impure elves who had taken these mortals as lovers. She had to restrain her anger and try to speak normally.

"So? Are we able to join your academy?"

"I am not authorised to do this, I will fetch Master Straii," the half-elf said nervously.

"Then pursue him with alacrity and return!" Liath said in exasperation, the half breed fled, closing the door. Santos was surprised the woman had lost her temper, she did not seem the sort.

For five minutes they stood like children before a headmaster's door before the door opened to reveal a wizard of high rank. To Santos' relief, he was an elf with imperious eyes and a blue robe, carrying a black staff.

"Can I help you?" he asked in elven.

"I seek access to study the portal into Undermountain, it is a matter of some importance."

"I see you have a message from the council, very well you may enter but only members of the guild may enter the room where the portal is."

"Are you so restricting the adventurers sent by the city?" Liath asked pointedly.

"No, they will be specially prepared and monitored by us."

"So how do I join?" Liath asked quickly.

"Normally, one must pass entrance exams or perform some great service to this guild," the elf wizard said grandly.

"I am in a hurry, wizard, I do not have time for this. Do I have to get the Magus himself down here to let me enter?" she was irritated at this delay.

"Can you do any magic?" the wizard asked, expecting the usual negative he could use against them later on.

"Of course I can, defensive and dispelling spells only of course. I use them to supplement my fighting skills," Liath sounded rather pleased at the surprise on the other two men's faces.

"Can you show us?" the wizard prompted.

"If it is going to move this procession along, yes," she said irritably.

The elf raised her hands, muttering something before bringing them together; there was a flash of light which faded to reveal a small weapon in her hands. It seemed to be made of white crystal, about the size of a dagger, she grasped it and it vanished like ice in the sunlight.

"Satisfied, mage?"

"It will do, payment of three hundred gold is also required."

"Fine, here," she handed him the gold and strode past the two men towards the sealed doorway distant.

"Is she often like this?" the mage asked in exasperation.

"At least you are an elf my friend, if you were a dwarf she would have tried to kill you."

The wizard frowned and walked towards the door.

As the mage entered the room on the other side he was greeted by a pair of humans and a gnome who started talking with him with great animation. Liath looked around the room; it was a long, low hall underground. Rectangular in shape, the room was nearly twenty yards high, light coming through thin windows at the very top. The walls were made of stone, tiles of several colours covered the floor which was empty save for the milling people and a few benches by the walls. The forty yards of hallway led to the far wall which was filled with a narrow stone arch, the arch left just a yard between its far side and the wall. In that space however was a azure blue glow which make that single yard theoretically infinite in space. The arch was a hexagonal shape, eight foot across and ten high, it seemed to be made of black iron but Liath knew this was not the case.

Straii, the elf mage walked back to Liath, "this is not a good time. My associates are detecting the power level is rising quickly, we do not know what is happening."

"The portal is being activated obviously, what you have to do is reverse the-" her urgent words stopped as her head jerked up in surprise.

"Liath? What is it?" Santos asked in surprise.

The elf woman drew her sword with a suitable metallic ting, she brought the blade to the salute and was backing away as the attack emerged.

There was a burst of white light, a resounding crack, then the contained area of the portal seemed to freeze solid. It seemed as though the air became darker and colder, there were flashes of light and a buffering gust of wind. A final flash of light dazed all those in the room, leaving, in the afterglow, drow. Appearing through the portal like they were pushing through treacle, they jumped down and drew their swords and crossbows. The Waterdhavian wizards were too surprised to react as first one, then two, then a dozen drow pushed through the portal. The drow, dark-skinned elves who had none of the kind nature of their surface cousins fired a hail of bolts. The wizards, a score of them began to cast whatever spell first came to mind, creating an odd flickering display of lights; many disappointed as the wizards were hit by bolts and fell. Straii pushed his way forward, his blue robes behind him, raising his staff, before he could complete the third syllable though, a black feathered bolt was in his lungs so he fell to the ground. Dropping their single-shot crossbows and drawing their swords, the drow moved forward, several of the wizards managed to get spells off but the majority were hampered by the close press of swords and anger. The dark elves pressed their advantage, their leader in particular showed great pleasure as he set about the mages.

A wizard stabbed at him with a short sword, the elf turned the blow aside and rammed his own blade into the man's heart. More drow and even some duergar, dark dwarves, were coming through the gate into the room. Half the wizards were dead, they were not battle mages, most were just researchers or loremasters, now they paid the price.

Santos drew his sword and was moving forward when a strong hand grabbed his hand, "you are no good to anyone dead. Help me barricade the stairs out of here," Liath ordered.

"Wizards of Waterdeep, pull back to the surface!" the duke shouted.

Six wizards made it to the stairs but only three made it up the black stone steps, the rest falling to bolts of magic or steel.  The last three reached the top as wizards and guards poured out of the rooms all around and charged down towards the doorway.

Liath felt only calm in the midst of the panic, she smiled in her mask. The drow were a race she despised almost as much as humans, the fact they had once been proper elves only added to her anger. Her blade was held to attention as the first drow, a crossbow wielder came up from the tunnel, blinking in the light. She gave her no chance, her foot kicked aside the bow whilst her long blade slid into the dark stomach. The creature looked surprised for an instant before the sword was ripped free to parry an ill aimed cut with a blade. Turning the parry with considerable skill, the drow's weapon was thrown from its hand whilst Liath's blade chopped down once. A duergar hacked down with a battleaxe, the steel head aiming to slay the elf woman; Liath was not fooled and spun free, her sword coming down on the dwarf's lower spine with lethal speed. A drow cleric was halfway through a spell  that would immolate Liath before a sword cut up across her stomach; an eager duergar sought to capitalise on this but a swift kick followed by a slice removed its bearded head.

Santos stared as the elf woman cut down a half dozen enemy in a half minute, he resolved not to let her fall alone and, with a dozen other fighters charged into battle. Wizards were finally using their magic to devastating effect, the bottlenecked drow and duergar forces were being massacred as they struggled forward. Still they pressed on, driving even the lethal elf lady back before their numbers.

Eager not to be surrounded but having lost the advantage of surprise, Liath stepped back from the fight. She parried two swords but could make no headway against the elite guards. There was a scream as a dark dwarf halberd hewed a man's leg off at the knee, immediately his place was taken but this man fell also to a chopping blow. The ground was slick with blood and carpeted with bodies but there was no result in sight, unless the Underdark forces withdrew soon however, the scratch force of fighters would be overcome and the wizards would be assailed. Liath cursed the milling humans around her, she needed space and these fools were dying for nothing; she resolved to fight her own way. Swinging the sword down to force a dwarf's axe down, she kicked the bearded nose head on with sickening force before moving on to the next foe. Now the enemy was about five yards from the doors and always pushing forward. Screams and cries filled the air; some of the drow at the rear were firing burning arrows randomly around the collage to burn what they struck. A sword cut ripped the elf's cloak and scrapped on the concealed armour beneath; with a deep breath she drove forward and stabbed, the drow fell fatally wounded to the ground. There was a cheer, the elf stepped back and around to see a contingent of guards arriving, their high helmets and large shields giving them an imposing feel as they moved forward. Liath ran to the commander who fortunately had seen her fighting against the drow and so did not draw his blade on her.

"Who are you? What is going on?"

"The drow and duergar are coming through the portal, we need to block the entranceway to the passage."

"Who are you?" the commander asked again.

"I am on your side and know what I am doing, introductions can wait. Now, get your men to lock shields and charge through the enemy position."

The soldier saw the wisdom in this and called to his men, "form up! Lock shields, advance!"

The Waterdhavian soldiers sheathed their swords and braced their heavy shields against themselves, screamed a warcry and charged full tilt at the enemy line. Most of the weary defenders managed to get out of the way but some could not escape and were trampled to death by their allies. The drow were physically forced back and down to the ground with crunching force, the first rank of soldiers joining them on the ground. Liath held her sword hight and charged into battle with the rear ranks of the human soldiers, vaulting over a body, her blade stabbed a drow in the heart. The forces of the Underdark, their lines broken neither retreated not tried to contain the break in, instead they were soon being surrounded by the vengeful defenders.

Liath's sword whipped the head off a dwarf but received a cracking blow on the ribs from another axe, the blow did not penetrate but still drove the armour painfully into her side. The elf did not stop, such a move would be fatal but instead she hacked down the axe haft to sever her foe's fingers. Leaving this foe to be finished off she moved on to a drow with a sword who barred her access to the tunnel, bolts still flew thick, the screams were just as loud but the enemy was finally being driven from the surface. Her opponent was a leader of some sort, saw Liath as a vital opponent and attacked. The two elves duelled, sword and shield versus greatsword; Liath kicked the drow in the knee, drove the pommel forward and swept his blade down. Her opponent, eyes glinting in anger sliced with the razor edge of his shield, cutting a gash on Liath's upper right arm, the masked elf counter attacked. With an elegant swirling parry, followed by a precise stab, the drow staggered, his leg cut open. The dark elf tried to regain the initiative but Liath did not stop, a final downward cut cleaved the drow's skull.

"Wizards! The tunnel, collapse the tunnel!" she shouted before the body had even fallen. They stared at her, Liath rammed her sword into a corpse and seized a wizard. "Blast the walls and collapse it or we will not be able to stop them!"

The wizards finally got the idea, though many of their men were still fighting at the entrance, the dozen or so mages who still lived combined their powers into a beam of coruscating power. The bolt slammed into the side of the tunnel with tremendous force, shattering the stones apart in a cascading tide. The explosion emptied the corridor of both attackers and defenders, the shockwave throwing down anybody in its path. When the smoke cleared there was just a pile of rubble and the scores of dead from both sides on the ground. Liath stood from her crouch and retrieved her blade. She saw Santos clean his blade of thick dark blood and would have moved over to him if a sudden cry had not pierced the air.

"They are coming through the windows!"

"Men of Waterdeep, with me!" Liath called, her instincts as a commander taking over her dislike for humans.

The drow had scaled up the walls and were coming through the small windows that provided air for the chamber beneath the ground. The enemy must have seen their predicament and were thus desperately trying to escape from the death trap of the room. Liath had her sword sheathed and became a leader once more, pushing the troops into line, directing their fire and organising counter attacks. As she led a squad of troops forward, two crossbow bolts hit her in the chest, the armour stopped most of their power but one got through to dig into her skin. Santos looked at her to see the elf looking in puzzlement down at the wounds, then she threw off her indecision and ripped the bolts from her skin. The Duke of Westphal looked in amazement as she threw them aside as though they were nothing, then he forgot the elf and defended himself against a wild series of swings and cuts from a duergar infantryman.

As Liath paced along the lines, she knew what she had to do, she just had no way to do it, as she directed a half dozen archers to fire into the underground room a mage ran up to her.

"Lady Bel'cador?"

"Speak quickly, we do not have time to waste," she snapped.

"Archmage Lidhir says that barrels of alchemist's fire were placed around the walls in case this happened. We need to get close enough to explode them."

"Understood, get your men together and follow my lead," she ordered, the mage scurried away.

The sword was drawn once more, glinting in the light of the sun, even though it was obscured by smoke from the burning building all around.

"Forward!" she yelled and led the charge of a dozen men, all that remained of the regulars who had broken the first line. The drow were few but they fought with grim determination, their weapons took many lives before they finally were overcome, the mages ran forward and began to chant their spells. One last drow oppose Liath, an assassin who fought with two short blades, using them with lethal skill. Liath parried a blow but felt one blade drive through her upper leg, it deflected from the armour but still had caused an injury. Liath ignored the blow and chopped horizontally to cleave the dark elf's ribs apart.  Two of the three mages were hit by bolts from inside the room but the last got off his fire spell before he fell, pierced in the throat.

The bolt of fire struck a section of wall underground covered by wooden boards, the bolt easily punched through stone and wood to detonate the explosive within. First one barrel, then another, then three and finally the whole air was filled with the rumbling crackle of explosions and detonations. The walls of the chamber, old but well made resisted the explosion until the pressure was too great, a hundred barrels had been placed around the walls and the exploded almost in unison to kill every drow in the room beneath. The blast flicked up, tearing through the windows, a shockwave throwing men and material aside. Finally with a dull, loud rumble, the cavern began to give way, rocks fell inward as the ceiling and walls gave way. The very ground moved as instantly, the inclosed space was filled with stone and wood from all around it, burying the battlefield and the room in dust and smoke.

The university was in ruins, whole buildings had been burnt to the ground whilst the battle raged, powers had shifted from the explosions and so many were dead. To Duke Santos, ruler of the ruined city of Westphal, it was memories of his home all over again. So many were dead, the ruin was total, only now were regular infantry arriving to care for the wounded and inter the dead. So many of the dead were nothing but pieces, the explosion tearing them to bloody ruin, their names never to be known. The noble thought of Liath, she had to be dead, no one could survive that blast but yet, but yet there was something about that woman that unnerved Santos. He half hoped she was dead whilst the rest of his mind hoped she lived. A captain, thinking he was in charge, which he technically was saluted.

"We estimate the enemy brought through about two hundred troops who fought sir."

"What are our losses captain?" Santos asked wearily, he was tired and hurt but he would live.

"Eighty four dead or about to be and the same injured. Hard to tell though sir with the way it is."

"I see, at least the portal is buried, see to the wounded, captain and well done.

Santos walked back to the edge of the smoking pit, the ruin beneath him was total and complete, nobody could have survived.

He turned back, knowing he should help where he could with organising the troops when he saw a familiar figure.

The cloak was torn in places by shrapnel, the black mask was scratched to reveal steel beneath and she was limping. To Santos' horror, she still had a knife in her leg, she nodded her head.

"A good day's work Duke Santos," she said calmly.

"You have a knife in your leg," he said the first thing he could think of.

She looked at it and shrugged, "I will remove it." The elf wrenched the blade free, causing a wince from the duke and threw it aside.

"Not poisoned, so not important, I could do with a bandage though, I did not expect to fight today."

"We did well," Santos said in spite of the evidence, she looked at him.

"Did we? We lost two thirds of our men and only just succeeded, that is not cause for celebration."

"I see you are still alive and healthy."

"Your sarcasm is noted, come, let us go before questions start to be asked.

"Questions like; who are you and why are you here?"

"The very same, human."

Liath had walked back the entire way, ignoring the fact she left a small trail of blood behind her from her leg, she would not be stopped. Finally she entered the Yawning Portal to the collective gasps and looks of surprise from her audience. Linu ran over, seeing the wounds, she saw a strange scar through the cut on Liath's leg but before she could investigate she was pulled upright.

"Thank you for your concern but I am fine. I need time to rest and bandage these injuries, if you wish to come up and talk, do so an hour after dusk. If not, I will not object, farewell."

Even her remarkable endurance could not hide her limp as she slowly went up the stairs to her room.

"What in the name of the nine circles happened?" Sharwyn demanded. "We wanted to go help but we were kept out of the docks area whilst they brought in troops."

"The drow came through the portal at the wizard's university, hundreds dead. We collapsed the room on them, it might not destroy the portal but it has certainly ruined its operation."

"And Liath?" Linu asked.

"I counted sixteen enemy dead by her hand, she got pretty beaten up as well though."

"She needs help, I will go to her," the elf cleric said in worry.

A hand caught her arm, "no my friend. Let her be, she almost killed me when I asked about her past."

"Fine, I will not go, I am still not happy about this."

"Neither am I but it is for your safety."

"Yes."

Six hours later, a knock on the door roused Liath to her senses, she had lay down to get some rest after repairing her clothes and tending her wounds. Now she looked mostly the same as she had done except for the dirt and tears in her cloak.

"Enter," she commanded.

Linu walked in the door to see the now familiar shape of Liath on the bed, mostly returned to normal. The elf woman got slowly to her feet, the bulge of the bandages on her arms and legs and the lack of armour apparent.

"Come in my elvish friend," she said in her race's language.

"Are you alright, I was worried but knew you needed rest."

"I am fine, I have taken far worse my dear. I just hope I don't have to do that again tomorrow."

"I never realised you were so good a swordsman, Santos told us about the fight."

"How old are you, priest?" Liath asked, seemingly ignoring the last words.

Linu frowned but answered, "one hundred and nineteen."

The mask's gaze wavered for a moment. "When I was your age I had already been enslaved, sold, escaped and fought in six major engagements." Linu did not interrupt, she did not want to lose this change to explore the woman's past. "Not a good start but it eventually got better I suppose."

"How old are you Liath?"

The watchful gaze was back, replacing the temporary look of openness. "Six hundred and thirty seven," she said grudgingly.

"Where are you from? Your accent is not one I know."

There was an air of humour about the hidden face, "I suppose you wouldn't have, it will remain a mystery to you then." The elf had somehow managed to obtain black paint to redo the mask's scratches. Linu saw for the first time, a necklace, the bulge clear because of the lack of armour beneath; Liath saw the gaze and shifted her cloak so it remained hidden.

"To answer your previous question my friend, hard experience and long training have taught me how to fight and how to win. Part of that is knowing that whatever injury you suffer is not half as bad as the one you will take if you react to the first one."

"But surely they hurt?"

The elf opposite her sighed, "I am used to pain my friend. After a while it gets so that you can endure it."

Linu's head echoed with the words, whatever she suffered must have been considerable to put up with such injuries so easily. "I am sorry."

"You have nothing to fear from me, or pity me for. Now go on my dear and leave me."

"Are you sure?"

"If you wish to talk longer then go ahead, I am not likely to be responsive and I do need rest."

"I will not keep you long Liath, do you think the drow will attack again?"

"They sent two hundred and thirty troops against us today, unless that is the entire army of the Underdark, I think we can expect far worse."

"I had hoped that this problem could be settled quickly but it seems that it is to no avail. I had hoped after Neverwinter that I would not have to fight much."

"What was your relationship with Eairth?"

Linu smiled, "I was good friends with him, we sort of helped each other with our skills. He was a good man, I do not think that anybody could have done better than he did."

"What was your relation to him?" Liath asked again, the cleric frowned.

"Well, I was a close friend but not anything more, we both had a job to do and, and-" she trailed off.

"He already was close to the human, yes?" she asked.

"They never admitted anything but he and Sharwyn were, were a little more than just companions. She clearly disliked his leaving, I think that they may have been in love."

"I knew it," Liath hissed. "I would not be surprised if he was a half-elf."

"Would that make him a worse person?" Linu asked, unaware of the dangerous ground she was on.

The mask glared at Linu, "yes it does. Elves twisted with humans? It is not the children's fault but the parents, the parents," she gripped her hands together. "I still respect him but he willingly fell for this, this human," he said the last word like it was painful.

"What did they do to you to make you hate their race so much?" Linu asked and leaned forward.

"They have done many things to me!" she snarled. "Hypocritical fools, I know what the humans did!"

Her voice was a near scream, Linu desperately leaned forward and took her hand. "It's alright, they cannot hurt you now. Calm, please calm down."

The masked woman seemed to crumple but was caught by the cleric who laid her on the bed.

Linu shushed the other woman gently and stepped back, "I will be back in the morning, sleep Liath."

"I am sorry my friend," she whispered as her friend left the room. Then the elf remembered nothing more.

Linu slowly walked down the stairs, her head full of the voice of the suddenly out of control elf. She worried about her, perhaps her priestly training or her in built compassion made her feel for the woman who would probably not feel the same.

"How is she?" Santos asked from a wooden table, the three other members of her band were listening also.

"Apart from the last two minutes, perfectly composed and healing well."

"And those two minutes?" Daelin asked.

"Ranting about something I could not understand."

"I think that madness is inevitable if one goes on for long enough in this job. I think it may be her injuries talking though, she did a better job then I today. Final casualty reports are in, seventy nine dead, eighty injured and fifteen missing presumed dead. A small but potent list."

"And many of the wizards," Linu said.

"Yes, a third of the dead were mages and a quarter of the injured. A sad day that was solved only by luck, tomorrow we make ready to establish a beachhead on the other side of the portal."

"What about the last portal?" Sharwyn asked.

"It is being closely guarded by the best soldiers available, we will be ready tomorrow."

"We don't know how to work the portal though."

"We have a good idea, the wizards at the university knew but they were not telling until now."

"We had best get some rest, we will do no good tired," Daelin said and turned to walk back to his room. 

Liath slept, she rested so that her wounds might heal and so she might think about what she must do. She dreamt, but at once knew it was no dream, it was real. She was seeing her enemy move against her, her mind saw it as though it was right before her.

_The circular room was dim, only the light of a few torches flickered the shadows across the room. On one side was a pit which boiled with flames and smoke; perversely, it made the room darker. Darker because of the presence above it, a vast, red skinned creature hovered over the pit. A daemon of the infernal planes it was, power coruscated from it, coming up short against a shimmering wall surrounding the pit. The daemon was tall, nearly twelve feet, carrying an enormous staff and with great horns sprouting from its skull. _

_In the centre of the room were two individuals, one hidden and one clearly revealed, the hidden one wore a shadowing cloak that seemed to exude evil and darkness. The other was a tall drow woman, skin almost midnight-blue, eyes burning with light and a great mane of white hair. She carried herself with the assurance of a monarch, a long sword in her hand, she looked to the shadowy figure._

_"You promised me that they would not intervene," she demanded._

_"I made no such oath, lady. I told you that Eairth Fel'dore would not intervene, it seems our enemies have sent another against us." The voice was filled with evil and power, a decomposing quality almost in the sibilant voice._

_"She disrupted our first incursion today, who is this woman? And no lies!"_

_"I do not know until I see her lady."_

_"You will call me the Valsharess! I am the leader of this army, you will bow before me."_

_"Indeed I will not," the cloaked one responded. "With so much of your power granted by you by my master, it is not wise to threaten me. But we should work together," it hissed, "so I will call you Valsharess if it pleases you."_

_"What if this woman is a threat? We need to consider the dangers involved."_

_"Until I see her, I cannot say."_

_The Valsharess turned to the daemon who seemed slightly amused, "dread Mephistopheles, I command you to show us this new opponent. The masked fighter who stopped us today."_

_The daemon bowed its head, "I will do as you command, great Valsharess." The sneering tone in the voice was undeniable._

_The cloaked figure nodded its approval as a tide of magic and lights pin wheeled around the room, dancing and flashing. Finally, it coalesced in the centre of the room into a mirror like surface, pulsing with power. The silvery surface, once opaque, now became clearer and clearer until it showed a very good image of Liath Bel'cador, standing after the battle that day._

_A hollow, sickly laugh erupted from the cloaked figure, the Valsharess turned, surprised and irritated by the noise._

_"Liath Bel'cador! This crippled elf is who they pin their hopes upon? Very amusing."_

_"You know this opponent?" the drow empress asked aggressively._

_The drow was sure the cloaked figure was smiling, though she could not see to be sure. "I do not think I know her, we had a certain acquaintance for a time, in a manner of speaking."_

_"Is she dangerous?"_

_It considered, "yes, dangerous and unpredictable. She could be useful to us though, her hatred and anger could be her undoing. We shall see if she survives before we think more on this."_

_"I will send orders for her to be killed."_

_"I am sure that will not work. She must be lured in and killed at the right moment."_

_"Very well, but I will have no tricks from you or your master," the Valsharess declared and strode from the room._

_The cloaked figure looked to the daemon, the hood fell back, revealing a face from a nightmare. Twisted skin and bone had made the face into a sculptor's disaster. The crude lips smiled, "and how are you going to stop us?"_

_The daemon bowed his head, "I am yours to command, servant of the master."_

_A guttural laugh echoed through the room. _

Liath shot upright, her hand on her sword. She sat up, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room, there was an assassin in the room. The drow held a rapier in her hands, she seemed surprised her target was awake.

"I sense your presence, drow, I am ready for you. Come, come and die." Liath hissed her words as she stood, sensibly, she had worn armour to bed.

"Your death will be another foe who has fallen before the Valsharess."

The rapier snaked forward, the greatsword was too slow and the blade scored across her leg. Liath did not reach but swung a series of rapid cuts and slices that the drow avoided with difficulty; the dark elf counter attacked, her blade lashing out again and again. Liath was surprised by the agility of this woman, in the dark she had the edge; Liath had had enough, she sliced a great cut at her foe and moved forward with terrible speed. The drow stepped back and cut with the rapier, it could not penetrate the armour though; Liath caught the elf on the jaw with a fist. The dark elf, her rapier lost in the confusion, backed up against the wall.

"You can kill me now but a dozen more will take my place," she sneered.

"Who says I will kill you? Where I come from, drow are kept alive for weeks at a time before we let them die. Would you like that?" Liath opened a small gash on the drow's stomach with the greatsword. "A dozen cuts like this and you will be in no position to fight back."

She saw fear in the dark-skinned face, she tried to struggle but the sword blade was driven through her right foot. The drow screamed and flailed at her captor; the masked elf drew a knife and cut the assassin's hands.

There was a flare of light and the door opened, there were shouts and then torches appeared in the room. Tamsil, Durnan's daughter was beside Daelin and Linu, both armed for battle.

"What happened?" the half-orc asked.

"What does it look like happened? This scum tried to kill me as I slept, now she will learn the error of her ways."

Linu looked at the terrified drow, the bloody knife and the cuts across the dark elf's body, she shuddered. "Liath, please do not fall to their level. They deserve death but do not become a vicious torturer."

The mask looked back, the knife held low, "that implies I care about her. I need nothing from her, just her pain." There was another swift movement, the dark elf shuddered as another cut was opened, she looked imploringly at Linu.

Tamsil had never seen such cold blooded brutality, "stop this now!" she shouted.

"You think this is suffering human? You know nothing of pain," and thrust. The knife drove in under the ribcage, the elf gasped once and fell bonelessly to the ground. The greatsword was pulled free and sheathed, then Liath turned to the three others in her room, Linu stepped back at the reflection of light from the eyes of the woman beneath the mask.

"Why, Liath why?"

"He is working with the drow, I saw it in my dream, when I find him I will kill him. Until then, any who do his bidding will die," the voice was so bland and cold, the temperature seemed to drop in the room.

"Who Liath?" the elf cleric asked.

"The one who did this to me," she said with bitter hatred and pushed past them, out the door.

Durnan sat with Santos in the main room, two others were dead this night, the drow assassin had killed them whilst they slept. The two men were tired, their dreams of success fading rapidly. The door opened and Liath swept into the room, Durnan stood.

"You're alive, we heard a scream and though the worst."

"The assassin is dead, now it makes sense," she stated blandly.

"What makes sense?" Santos asked.

The elf gave him a dismissive look, "this attacker was sent from the Underdark. If we do not wish for more incursions, we would be wise to go now and try to discover their cause."

"Do you know something you are not telling?"

"Of course not, human." Santos gritted his teeth at the last word.

"The party will not be ready before noon, it takes that long for the portal to open. Until that time, we can only wait."

"Wait!" she hissed, "waiting is not an option, we must move now."

The two men seemed surprised by her sudden rage, "they are working as swiftly as they can."

"Then perhaps I should encourage them," the elf said grimly.

"Just leave here, your anger will do nothing but hinder their progress." Durnan stood to confront the woman he spoke to.

"Do not presume to tell me, human-"

"Just go! Go and be back at noon." Durnan snapped.

"I shall remember this insolence, human," she said coldly and left.

"What in the name of Tyr has come over her?"

"She had a dream, she is hiding something," the voice of Linu came from behind him.

"What? She told us she knew nothing she had not said?" Durnan barked.

"Then she lied, how much else has she lied about?" Sharwyn, back from checking the roofs said.

"Then we will have to see whose side she is really on," Daelin said determinately.

Liath walked out onto the street, the dream in her mind. It was not dream though, it was a clear vision of what would happen. Her thin body shook with a mixture emotions; pain, fear, anger and hatred filled her at the sight of her enemy. She would find him and would slowly take him apart, as he had done to her. Her hand brushed her mask, she shuddered, she would have revenge.

Her private, dark thoughts were interrupted by a hailing from the other side of the square, she turned to see a mage hurrying towards her. He was a tall human with a brown moustache and greying hair, he carried the usual staff and wore a cloak of dull grey.

"Lady Bel'cador?" he called.

"What is it?" she snapped, in no mood to be pleasant to anyone.

The man seemed unruffled, "my name is Sobrey, I was a wizard who fought beside you at the academy. You saved my life from a drow swordsman."

Liath remembered the man now, he had seemed more capable than the rest of them, he was still alive as well. "I remember, and?"

"You saved my life so I will return the favour. I have something that might help you," he said.

"If you have something useful, let me see it," she demanded.

The mage still did not seem concerned by her, "of course, here." He held out a white rod about a half foot rod, it seemed to be made of ivory or bone. "This is a very rare device, it is a spirit channeler. You know about resurrection?"

"Of course, I have been forced to do it in the past to others. And this is effective?"

"It is, it was part of a pair but the other was used a decade ago. It may save the life of one around you, literally."

"How did you acquire this?" Liath asked, her tone softening as she took the rod.

"It was in the vaults, the council was resolved to give you nothing but I do not let valour go unrewarded. I would appreciate your silence on this matter."

"As thanks for this, mage, you will not hear of it again. I have always possessed this, understand?"

The mage bowed, "of course my lady. Thank you for your help."

"Charmed, mage." Her voice was almost gentle as he vanished into the morning mist, one human at least had not betrayed her.

"Liath?" a soft voice called from behind her. The masked elf turned to see Linu walking out the doorway into the courtyard outside the inn.

"Yes my friend?" Liath asked impatiently.

"What happened? How did you know to wake up?"

"I suppose that a long life has taught me the value of being prepared. You would do well to always be ready for trouble."

"Are you always so angry?" Linu asked.

"Yes I am, get used to the fact that I am and be done with it. When I find him and end his existence, then, maybe then I might have peace."

"Who? This, this person who fights with the enemy?"

"He is a monster, an evil creature who deserves death," the voice was deceptively calm.

"What did he do to you?" the cleric asked, making sure she was out of range of any retaliation.

Instead, the black clad woman sighed, "isn't it obvious?"

Before she could ask more, there were large footsteps behind them and Daelin, the half orc joined them. He slung his double headed axe on his shoulder, staring down at the erect and motionless woman. Eventually Liath deigned to acknowledge him but turning and raising her head, indicating she looked down on him.

"Might we talk?" he asked.

From the slight shudder, Linu could sense that Liath would rather have her eyes gouged out then talk with the half-breed. Nevertheless she nodded. "Go on then. We have time to pass before the portal is open so talk, if you can."

A slight tightening of the massive hand on the axe shaft was the only obvious response. "Why are you here, you clearly have no interest in doing the right thing for its sake. So why are you here? For the reward?"

The elf cocked her head to the side, a low chuckle echoed from behind the mask. "It may surprise you, half-orc, but I have never broken an oath or a promise. That is why I am here, to fulfil my oath to deal justice to my enemy. Does this astonish you, half-orc?" she asked, stepping forward.

It was clear it did, "so you have a reason for being here besides the reward? What of the desire to do the right thing."

"And what is the right thing, half-orc?" Daelin was getting agitated at the constant use of his race in her words. "As for the gold? Why do I want money? I have no use for the stuff."

"You just want revenge?"

"You are a professor in the making," she said sourly. "Does that offend your sensibilities? This conversation is over, half-orc."

Liath turned scornfully away, "I suggest you get ready, I will be down in time."

When she was gone, Daelin turned to Linu, "why is she so nice to you anyway?" he asked in puzzlement.


End file.
